


The Starry Heavens In His Hand

by puss_nd_boots



Category: D-OUT (Band), Royz, 己龍 | Kiryuu
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, M/M, Oral Sex, Shower Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 01:18:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19240903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puss_nd_boots/pseuds/puss_nd_boots
Summary: Subaru has always known he was different – he can see things nobody else can, and he possesses a strange crystal given to him by his grandmother. Then, one day, a near-disaster leads him to a group who may have the answers he’s sought all along – although his destiny could be too much for him to handle.





	The Starry Heavens In His Hand

**Author's Note:**

> My June fill for the vkyaoi challenge, using Moodboard 8, Fae Magic and the following quote: “I’m going to stay here even if I’m laughed at, this is who I am.” Also for the Shower/Bath square of my Season of Kink card. This is meant to be a companion piece to An Evil Spell My Life, presenting the other side of the magical universe – the white magicians. Ceremonial white magic hasn’t gotten as much attention in popular culture as black, Satanic magic (since, of course, people find evil far sexier than good). Rather than being based on any pop culture property, the group’s activity here was inspired by the history of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn – a Victorian magical group who believed they received their teachings and practices from the angels – and contemporary white magic practices such as Wicca. Kiryu and Royz are property of BP Records, D=OUT is property of SpeedDisk, I own the story only. The group portrayed in this story is not meant to represent any real-world magical/spiritual organization, and Gabriel is an entirely original character.

Subaru knew he wasn’t like other boys, from the moment he was born.

There was something about the way he lived in the world that was different. He could see things that others could not. He’d be in the woods with his older brother – well, half-brother, they had the same mother but different fathers – and suddenly see a pair of glowing eyes looking at him from under a pile of moss.

“Kouki,” he said, grabbing his brother’s hand. “Kouki – did you see that?” He pointed toward the moss clump.

His brother blinked at it. “What am I seeing? It’s just moss.”

“Eyes. There’s . . . there’s shining eyes in there.”

Kouki laughed. “Subaru, you really do have an active imagination, don’t you? It’s just moss and a couple of stones. Don’t worry, nothing’s going to jump out and eat you. You’re safe with me.”

Eventually, Subaru stopped telling other people about the things that he saw. None of them believed him. Some of them even laughed at him or accused him of making it all up for attention.

But I’m not making it up, he thought. I do look at a spider’s web and see it glowing. I do look up at the moon and see it surrounded by little yellow lights that are much closer to us than the stars. Why do I see things that others do not?

The only clue he ever got about what might be going on with him was a visit from his grandmother when he was ten years old – after not having seen her since he was five. His mother didn’t exactly seem pleased to see the woman. “You’ve been out of the country for years,” she said, “and now, you suddenly come back?”

“I came back for a good reason,” his grandmother said. “You know that. I wanted to see how my grandchild was doing.”

“GrandCHILDREN, remember,” his mother said. “I have two, you know, Mother. And I, at least, consider them equal.”

Well, that’s weird, thought Subaru, who was occupied with his homework at the kitchen table at the time. Why wouldn’t we both matter? Unless Kouki matters more than me because he’s the older one?

His mother took his grandmother down to the apartment lobby to have a talk. That was also strange. What couldn’t they discuss in front of the two of them? Was it something to do with the father Subaru had never met?

The grandmother, however, acted the way any grandmother would when they came back. She had dinner with the family and asked the boys about school and their friends and their lives in general. Nothing was said about Subaru’s father, or anything weird.

And then, when Subaru was about to hop into bed, his grandmother came into his bedroom. He jumped when he saw her. “Grandmother! You startled me!”

“I only have a few minutes,” she said. “Your mother is on the phone.” She reached into her purse. “Tell me, boy . . . has anything unusual ever happened to you?”

“Unusual?” Subaru said. “Like . . . like what?”

“Things that only happen to you? Things that you see, or feel, or experience that nobody else does?”

“Well . . . I see things nobody else can. Like, I was in the woods with my brother, and I saw glowing eyes in a patch of moss . . .”

She nodded. “Excellent. That’s what I was expecting to hear.” She drew something out of her purse and held it out to him – a clear crystal, shaped like an oval and with facets along its surface, on a chain. “Take this.”

Subaru tentatively accepted it from her. As soon as he touched it, the stone felt . . . not like stone. It was warm, pulsing. It had a life force. And it seemed to have a mind as well. Because he felt it probing his thoughts, connecting to him, forming a mind-link . . .

He yelped and nearly dropped the thing. “WHAT IS THIS?” he said.

“It is your birthright,” his grandmother said. “The crystal called Starry Heaven.”

“Starry . . . Heavens?”

“If you are ever in danger,” his grandmother said, “hold out that crystal. It will know what to do – and it will tell you what to do. Always carry it with you. In time, it should lead you to your true destiny.”

“But . . . but why does it feel . . .”

His grandmother gave a nervous glance out the door. “I have to go,” she said. “But remember what I told you – carry it with you at all times!”

She slipped out the door. The boy was left staring at the stone in his hand, quizzically.

I don’t like it, he thought. It’s funny . . . it’s not like any stone I ever touched before . . .

But at the same time, he felt a pull from it. It seemed to be . . . calling to him. And it felt like it belonged to him, and him alone. Like he was meant to have it.

“It will lead you to your true destiny,” he murmured to himself. Does that mean, he thought, if I carry this thing around I will find out why I can see things nobody else can?

He hopped into bed, sliding the stone under his pillow.

* * *

Subaru would carry the crystal with him every day from then on. He’d slide it into his pocket as soon as he got dressed in the morning, then pull it out and put it under his pillow before he went to sleep at night.

He never took it out and used it, because he was never in danger. He just lived an ordinary life – graduating from high school and going to a trade school to study horticulture, so he could take over his mother’s flower shop someday.

His brother went to college, studied art and became a professional photographer. Both young men were still living at home, although Kouki was planning to move out as soon as he got enough money together.

“You could come live with me, you know,” he said. “Just because you are taking over the family business doesn’t mean that you live at home until some guy asks you to move in with him.”

Subaru blushed intensely. “Why do you think it’s going to happen?”

“I know it’s going to happen! Come on, you’re adorable! I’m amazed that every guy in Japan isn’t falling over himself to be with you!”

Subaru was quiet. It had been awhile since he’d been with someone. Of course, Kouki was one to talk – he hadn’t dated anyone seriously for some time, either. They were a rather unusual pair of siblings in that they both preferred men – and their mother had accepted it without question. Especially in Subaru’s case.

It’s almost like she expected it, he thought.

He went into the hall closet and pulled out a raincoat. “I’m going to the suppliers’ store,” he said. “I need to get some rose food.”

“You could just order it from Amazon and avoid going out, you know,” Kouki said. “There’s supposed to be a huge storm.”

“I don’t think it’ll get here that fast,” Subaru said. “Besides, I need the stuff, like, now. The roses have been growing way too fast and they went through my whole supply.”

He went out into streets that were teeming with people, black clouds hovering overhead. He just felt like going for a walk, really. Much as he loved his brother, there were times when he needed alone time to recharge his mental batteries.

Do I really want to move in with my brother? he thought. I don’t know. It would be fun, in a way, but . . . would I be getting in the way of his personal life? I don’t want to do that.

The clouds were getting lower when he found the suppliers’ shop, and quickly purchased what he needed. Okay, he thought, I need to get home immediately, if not sooner. Too bad I can’t fly there.

He walked out into the street . . . and there was an enormous clap of thunder. He jumped in the air. Crap, he thought, my luck has run out . . .

As he passed under a tree, a bolt of lightning hit a huge upper branch – which broke away and started plummeting straight toward him.

Time completely froze. Things seemed to go into slow motion. He saw the tree fall, knew he was never going to get away in time, knew he was going to be crushed . . .

And then, instinct, or something else, made his hand dart into his pocket and pull out the crystal. His grandmother had said to use it when he was in danger. Well, if this wasn’t danger, what was? He pulled it out, held it toward the tree . . .

Starry Heaven seemed to reach into his mind – no, his SOUL. He felt it like a gentle, silken hand. And it pulled SOMETHING out of him and focused it through the crystal, like a prism. A beam of light shot out of it, and the branch exploded into a million pieces, falling to the ground as a shower of harmless toothpicks.

Subaru just stood there, stunned. What . . . what was that? He thought. What just happened?

And then, hands grabbed him on either side and pulled him into an alley. “ACK!” he said. “LET ME GO!”

“Sssh,” said a voice next to him. “We don’t mean to harm you . . . but we need to ask you something . . .”

“I’m not interested in answering!” Subaru said. “Let me go!”

“How do you know how to use that crystal?”

Subaru turned his head toward the sound of the voice. There was a young man about his own age, maybe a bit younger. Short in stature, black hair, very good-looking, wearing a purple coat . . .

“I really don’t know,” Subaru said. “My grandmother gave it to me, and what happened just . . . happened.”

“You don’t know?” the man said.

“I think he’s telling the truth,” said a second voice. Subaru turned his head in the other direction, and saw a second man, much taller, wearing a blue coat like the other man’s purple one . . . and he was hot. Very, very hot.

“What makes you say that?” said the first man.

“We’ve seen this kind of thing with latents before,” said the second. “Especially if the family has tried to hide their abilities from them.”

“Latent?” Subaru said. “What’s a latent?”

“Look, we need to get you out of the rain and then we’ll explain it to you,” the first man said. “We’re not far from our temple.”

“You’re priests? Or monks?” Subaru said.

The second man looked amused. “Do we look like monks?” he said.

“No,” Subaru said. “You look beautiful.” Oh, crap, he thought, why did I say that? I just met this guy! I don’t know who he is! “Um, um, that is . . .”

The second man laughed. “Why, thank you,” he said. “That means a lot, coming from a cutie like you.”

“Will you stop flirting?” said the first man. “This is important.” He turned to Subaru, bowed, and said, “We respectfully ask you to come to our temple with us.”

“Shouldn’t we introduce ourselves first?” said the second man.

“Fine. I’m Kurosaki Mahiro, and this is Tokai Junji.”

“I’m Subaru.” The rain was coming down much harder by now – all three of them were drenched. “Um, if we’re going to this temple, can we go now?”

“Follow us,” Mahiro said. “It’s a couple of blocks from here.”

What have I gotten myself into? Subaru thought. Who are these people? How do they know about my crystal? But on the other hand . . . am I on the verge of finally getting answers?

He scooped up his bag of rose food and followed them.

* * *

The temple was in a very strange location for such a building – in the middle of a rather shabby urban block. “Um, who decided to put it here?” Subaru said.

“Not everyone can see it,” Mahiro said.

“No?” Subaru looked surprised.

“Nope,” Junji said. “Only people like us can. Mundanes, they just see another shabby abandoned building.”

“Does that mean you see things other people can’t, too?” Subaru said.

“It comes with the territory,” Mahiro said, opening the door. He led them into what looked, at first glance, like an ordinary Buddhist temple. There were a group of young men scattered about the room, all wearing traditional kimonos. One, dressed in red, was sitting at a table and looking at a laptop. Another, wearing green and with a bandana covering the lower half of his face, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, poking at a calculator and writing in a notebook.

As for the third person, who was sitting in a chair at the other end of the table and studying what looked like an ancient book, Subaru couldn’t tell at first if it was a man or a woman – especially given that they had a pink kimono and hair to match. But then, the person looked at them and said, in a distinctly male voice, “Mahiro? Junji? Who . . . who is this?”

“We seem to have picked up a stray latent,” Junji said. “We just saw him blast the hell out of a falling tree branch with a crystal.”

“A crystal?” The man in red suddenly leapt to his feet, a look of alarm on his face.

“Mitsuki, he can’t be one of THE DARK ONES,” the man in green said, calmly, getting to his feet. “THEY don’t use crystals.”

“Most of US don’t use them, either,” Mitsuki countered. “I have to let Gabriel know.”

“Let’s just talk to the boy before we bring in the big guns, okay?” Junji said. “Subaru, these are our compadres. That’s Hiyori, in the pink. Mitsuki’s in the red, and Takamasa in the green.” He leaned over and whispered to Subaru, “Takemasa’s kind of shy about his jawline, hence the mask.”

“Nice to meet you,” Subaru said, bowing. “Though I still don’t know what this place is and why I’m here.”

“You’re here because you’re a crystal user,” Mitsuki said. “Where did you get it from?”

“My grandmother. She called it a family heirloom. She . . .”

“And what do we have here, gentlemen?” said a voice from the door. Subaru turned, and saw an older man, dressed in a traditional kimono that was black and white.

“Gabriel-sama!” Mitsuki said, bowing low before the man. “Mahiro and Junji saw a crystal user on the street.”

“Crystal user?” The older man looked at Subaru. “This boy?”

“Yes, sir,” Subaru said. “My grandmother gave me this when I was ten years old.” He held up the crystal. “She called it a family heirloom, and that I should use it when I was in danger.”

“Did she tell you how?”

“No, sir. She just said the crystal would help me know what to do. And I held it up, and . . . it drew something out of me, and that destroyed the branch. It’s just . . . there’s been something in me as long as I can remember. I can see things other people can’t . . .”

“Then it’s a good thing you’ve been brought to us,” Gabriel-sama said. “You’re definitely a latent.”

“Could you explain what that is, please?” Subaru said. “The guys who brought me here used that word, too.”

“A latent is a white magic user who isn’t aware of his or her talent,” Gabriel-sama said. “There aren’t many of them.”

“Most of us are born into families with a long magical lineage,” Mitsuki said. “We were all trained and prepared from birth. When we were old enough, we were initiated into this Order.”

“White magic? Order? Magical lineage?” Subaru’s head was spinning. What was going on here? Was there an entire hidden community of people who were, well, like him?

“Okay, maybe we should take it from the top,” Mahiro said. “Subaru, you’ve heard of witches and warlocks, haven’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Subaru said. “But that’s just fairy tales, isn’t it?”

Mahiro shook his head. “No. They exist in this world. They’re practitioners of black magic who are sworn to do the will of the being they call the Dark Lord.”

Subaru’s mind reached back to the European folklore he’d learned in school. “You mean, Satan? The Devil?” Oh, no, he thought, is THAT what I’ve gotten myself into? Is this a black temple? Do these people serve an evil being?

“Satan is the name some cultures use, yes,” Mitsuki said.

“So . . . is that what you are?” Subaru said, nervously.

The others glanced at each other. Then, Mitsuki said, “No. We’re the opposite.”

“Everything in the magical world has to be balanced,” Gabriel-sama said. “Winter to summer, fire to water, day to night . . . and black magic to white magic. It is said that when Lucifer had his quarrel with the other angels and left them in anger, he equipped a certain number of human beings with black magic and swore them to his service. They became his witches and warlocks.”

“The other angels knew that with black magic users out there,” Mitsuki said, “the rest of humanity would be doomed. The world would be dominated by Satan’s power. They knew it had to be countered with white magic. And so, the angels chose a small portion of humans to be their own magic users. That’s us. We’re called Hermetics.”

“Hermetics?” Subaru looked confused. “I’ve never heard of them.”

“That’s because we’re a lot more secretive than our black magic counterparts,” Gabriel-sama said. “Most major world religions believe all magic is evil – black and white. We had to stay in hiding even though we weren’t the ones who were servants of the Dark Lord.”

“When we did show up in legends,” Hiyori said, “we were usually called fairies.”

Junji laughed. “I get a kick out of that one,” he said. “Can you imagine us as tiny things fluttering around on wings, sprinkling pixie dust . . .”

“JUNJI!” Gabriel-sama said.

Junji bowed. “Sorry, my Master.”

“So, you were all born with magical power?” Subaru said.

“Yes, we were,” Mitsuki said. “Most of what we do is elemental magic. We tend to specialize in a particular element – I’m good with fire magic, Junji with water magic, Takemasa with earth magic . . .”

“That explains the colors?” Subaru said.

“Sometimes. Sometimes you just pick a color that resonates with you,” Mahiro said. “That’s why I wear purple, even though I’m an air user.”

“And Hiyori here is kind of the odd man out,” Junji said. “He’s not an elementalist. His specialty is ritual magic and divination.”

“So . . . you said this power was given to you by . . . angels?” Subaru said. “If the witches have a Dark Lord, do you worship . . . a Light Lord?”

Gabriel-sama nodded in the affirmative to the question about angels. “They are servants and messengers of the Ultimate Source, which has many names in many cultures. Here, we call the Ultimate Source Amaterasu.”

“Because we’re good Japanese boys,” Junji said.

“JUNJI!” Gabriel-sama said. “I swear, if you weren’t from such a powerful family, boy . . .”

Subaru’s head was spinning. A whole secret order of people like me, he thought. This is where I was meant to be all along, isn’t it? Here, among other people who can do what I do . . . but there’s just one question . . .

“So where do me and my crystal fit into all this?” he said, quietly.

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Gabriel-sama said. “We’re going to have you train with us. And when we do find out your strengths and capabilities, you’ll be formally initiated into the Hermetic Order and begin living the life you were meant to live.”

“But you still have to have a day job, by the way,” Junji said. “We don’t get paid for this.”

“JUNJI! All right, I am putting YOU in charge of this boy’s training. Maybe you’ll learn some discipline that way!” Gabriel-sama snapped.

“Me?” said Junji.

“Yes, you. Mahiro, back him up. The others, assist as needed.”

“Yes, my Master,” Mahiro said, bowing.

“Please be at this temple tomorrow at . . . what time do you get done working, my boy?”

“My mother’s shop closes at six,” Subaru said. “I work there with her.”

“Six it is, then,” Gabriel-sama said. “And Junji? YOU will be there as well. NO excuses!”

“Yes, my Master,” Junji said, bowing.

“Oh, before I go – Subaru, it was? – can you tell me your last name, and if your grandmother said there was a name for your crystal?”

“Oh, yes,” Subaru said. “My family name is Hanamizakura, and she said the crystal was called Starry Heaven.” He didn’t want to tell the man that both he and his brother used their mother’s maiden name.

The high priest looked thunderstruck for a second – just a second – and then, a broad smile spread over his face. “Wonderful,” he said. “We will see you tomorrow, then.”

As he walked back toward his office, the high priest thought, Junji had better not fail me on this. That boy is more important than I thought . . . more important than any of them could possibly imagine.

* * *

Subaru arrived at the temple the next day at the appointed time. He’d told his mother he was meeting with friends and she didn’t question it. His brother, on the other hand . . .

“Got a date?” Kouki said with considerable interest.

“What?” Subaru said. “No! No, it’s just friends, really!”

“And you said that really fast,” Kouki said, teasingly. “Which means there’s someone you like, at least.”

“If there was, you’d be the first to know!” Subaru said, rushing out the door.

As he walked in, Junji, who’d been looking at his phone, put it down and walked over to him. “Well, hi,” the water user said. “You really are serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Wouldn’t you be?” Subaru said. “I mean, I know nothing about this. Any of this. All I know is that I saw things others couldn’t, and had the crystal, and, well . . .” He gave Junji a small smile. “I guess I’m looking for the WHY of all of it.”

“It’s a good thing to ask,” Junji said. “Sometimes, I ask why myself.”

“But haven’t you lived with this all your life?”

“Well, yeah. It doesn’t mean I have all the answers, though.” He headed for the back of the temple. “Come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“There’s a garden out back. It’s a good place to gather yourself and focus.”

Subaru followed Junji out, looking around him. A serene scene was opening up in front of him. Here there was a wooden gate that seemed to lead to another part of the garden, there was a patch of unusual-looking red mushrooms . . .

“Like them?” Junji said as they passed. “I cultivated them myself. Very useful in potions for deep concentration.”

“You make potions, too?” Subaru said.

“Well, of course. It’s all part of magic. The elemental stuff is just one facet of it. There’s potions, spellwork using words and symbols, divination . . .”

“So you ARE warlocks,” Subaru replied.

Junji stopped and turned to him. “Okay, rule number one of being part of our group? Don’t use the W-word. Or the female W-word. From a purely technical standpoint, that IS what we are, but . . . we prefer the term ‘magic technicians.’”

“Magic technicians?” Subaru looked baffled.

“Gabriel-sama does NOT want us associated with the black magic users. At all,” Junji said. “There’s some kind of long-standing bad blood between the two groups. Whenever I’ve asked why, I’ve been told that it goes back to ancient times, when Lucifer defied the other angels. Some kind of argument over how to handle humans. But . . . I think the reason is a lot more down-to-earth. Although nobody knows why. Not even Mitsuki, and he’s an apprentice priest.”

“Does it matter, in the end?” Subaru said.

“Well, I’m damn curious, I gotta admit,” Junji said. “Come on, sit over here.” He pointed to an outcropping of flat rocks.

Subaru sat next to him, eying the garden wall opposite. “What is that over there?” he said. “It looks like a door.”

“It is,” Junji said. “There’s a ritual chamber in there.”

“Really?” Subaru looked surprised. “But you have a whole temple . . .”

“And sometimes, you just want privacy for a ritual that’s nobody else’s business,” Junji said. “And before you ask, I’m not talking about love spells. Those are frowned upon. We don’t like to do anything that interferes with another person’s free will.” He got a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Besides, the chamber has other uses.”

“Oh?” Subaru said. “Like what?”

“Like it’s a place to take a special someone you want alone time with.”

Subaru gasped. “But . . . but . . . aren’t you supposed to be an ANGELIC organization?”

“Just because we get our powers from the angels doesn’t mean we have to ACT like angels. Especially since it’s said that even angels have sex sometimes. And there’s also no restrictions on who we want to have, or not have, relationships with. Gay, straight, bi, ace, it’s all good.”

Subaru found himself quietly wondering what Junji’s preferences were. Was part of him wondering if his attractive new acquaintance liked men?

“And, yes, I’ve been down here with a couple of guys myself,” Junji said. “Just don’t tell Gabriel-sama, okay?”

Well, that answered Subaru’s question, and his heart leaped a little in response. “I won’t.”

“But, yeah, we’re supposed to be training you to use magic, right? Okay, the first question I want to ask you is . . . what did you feel when that crystal activated?”

Subaru closed his eyes. “Like . . . like it was reaching inside me and pulling something out. Something powerful that was at the very bottom of my heart and soul.”

Junji nodded. “That’s your magic,” he said. “The crystal was able to connect with it because, well, you were in panic mode. That happens. Panic mode is when a lot of people discover their magic. The trick is to try to find it when you’re not in panic mode. Now, I want you to hold the crystal in your hands and close your eyes.”

Subaru pulled out the stone and cradled it in his hands. It felt like a living, pulsing thing, like it always did, not like rock at all. “Like this?”

“Now, I want you to imagine an electric current flowing between you and it. Feel it flowing back to your body, and then out to the crystal again.”

Subaru did what he was told. He saw the current as bright, crackling energy, flowing from the stone to him, then back to the stone . . . and as he did, he could feel an answering pull and flow within himself. There was a warmth, originating in his core, flowing outward, making the stone warmer . . .

“I feel it,” Subaru said. “I definitely feel it!”

“The next thing,” Junji said, “is to mix magic with will. That’s directing it what you want it to do. Hold an image in your mind – to start out, let’s say you’re going to lift that cluster of stones into the air. Imagine them lifting . . . and then, push your will and the magic outward through the crystal . . .”

Subaru did – and the rocks in question flew into the air like they’d been blasted from a cannon. They shot over their heads and toward the temple – and dropped to the ground right before they would have fallen on the roof.

“Whoa,” Subaru said. “Did . . . did I do that?”

Junji watched, astounded, his jaw dropping. “That . . . that . . .wasn’t bad. No, it was good. Very good. Hey, the next thing we’ve got to work on is your control, right?” He put a hand on Subaru’s shoulder. “But for a first attempt? Pretty spectacular.”

Subaru smiled. I did it, he thought. I can actually do something. All the things that were supposedly strange about me can, eventually, do something good!

He was suddenly feeling very proud, and very happy. And part of that happiness was the man in front of him. Junji . . . was attractive. Very, very attractive.

Don’t think too much about that, Subaru, he thought. You have to focus on magic. You have to focus on finding and using your power.

He didn’t hear Junji, when they were walking back to the temple much later, murmur, “Just how powerful IS this guy?”

* * *

The next few weeks passed in such a blur for Subaru that he didn’t know what was reality and what was a dream.

He would put in his hours at the flower shop, smiling at the customers like normal, tending to the plants, running errands as his mother needed them. And as soon as the day was over, he’d rush over to the temple for his training sessions.

At first, they worked on figuring out the scope of his power and what he and his crystal could do. This included energy blasts to eliminate dangers, levitation of objects, and enhancing the powers of other magical users. If Junji created a small jet of water, Subaru could turn it into a compact tidal wave. Small fireballs from Mitsuki could become an airborne inferno, and a small breeze from Mahiro could be pumped up into a whirlwind.

The main thing Subaru was learning, though, was control. He had to figure out a way to push his powers outward and pull them back at the same time, so that the energy he released would not create a small catastrophe.

“You’re kind of what the layman would call hella powerful,” Junji said as they picked up the shattered remnants of what had been a pile of wood at one point, but was now closer to fine toothpicks.

“Is that true of all crystal users?” Subaru said.

“Well, most of them are really powerful, yes,” Junji said. “But you’re even MORE so. Like, you must have a super-deluxe crystal or something.”

Subaru frowned “I wonder why my grandmother didn’t tell me more about it?” he said. “Or that organizations like yours existed?”

“She may not have known about us,” Junji said. “Latents aren’t uncommon at all. That’s people who have powers and don’t even know it. Most members of temples like ours come from actively magical families, but there’s others whose families decided not to use their powers for various reasons – mostly having to do with them being romantically involved with mundies.”

“Mundies?”

“Mundanes. People without powers. Members of black magic groups call them mortals. You said you have a half-brother who’s one?”

Subaru nodded. “I don’t think he’s ever shown any signs of having powers.”

“Of course, he could have them and just not have discovered them,” Junji said.

“What about your family?” Subaru said. “That first day, Gabriel-sama said they were powerful.”

“The Tokai clan is well-known for producing water magic users,” Junji said. “I was put in a tub of water before I could even walk to see if I could make the water move. Of course, I did.” He gave Subaru a big smile. “It’s a useful skill to have in a lot of ways. Like, if I’m hot on a really humid day? I can pull the water out of the atmosphere to have it splash me and cool me off. If I find someone with a dried-out lawn? I can get a bottle of water from the conbini, multiply the water with my powers and irrigate their lawn with it.”

“You help people with your powers a lot, don’t you?” Subaru said.

“It’s the philosophy of the Hermetic Order,” Junji said. “We believe the angels gifted us with magic to be their representatives on earth and help humans who don’t have magic. Usually, we do it quietly, from the shadows. The mundanes never know – they just think they’ve had a miracle, or a stroke of good luck.”

“Then how do you find people who need help?”

“Overhearing things said in the street. Going to shrines and reading the ema” – the wooden plaques on which people wrote needs and wishes. “Sometimes just being in the right place in the right time.”

“Is that why you’re called fairies in folklore?” Subaru said. “Because you help people?”

“Oh, yes,” Junji replied. “It’s a dumb name, really. One year for Halloween, as a joke, we all cosplayed stereotypical fairies, with big wings and little tutus. We thought it was amusing. Gabriel-sama didn’t. But then, Gabriel-sama doesn’t find much amusing.”

Moments like these, when Subaru and Junji just sat around talking, were rapidly becoming his favorite parts of the temple sessions. He was starting to like his magical mentor a lot. He took magic seriously – more seriously than Gabriel-sama gave him credit for – but at the same time, he had a laid-back approach to life and a sense of humor. At the end of their formal lessons, very often he and Subaru would play a game where Junji would send small jets of water into the air, and Subaru would catch them in a beam of his crystal and turn them into spiraling columns, or spraying fountains, or swaying waves.

It was one thing to go out to karaoke or a movie with a guy. It was another to share an experience like this.

Subaru found himself wondering if he had a crush on his mentor. He certainly felt his heart leap when he saw him, and was disappointed when he left him at the end of the day. And when Junji would give him compliments – like casually telling him, “You’re as adorable as you are powerful, you know that?” – Subaru felt like he was walking on air.

He felt it best not to act on his feelings, though. He had no idea what the ethics were for two people in a situation like theirs, and he didn’t want to find out the hard way.

Slowly, he got to know the others as well, as he practiced enhancing their magic. He found himself especially curious about how Mitsuki became a priest in the Order.

“Are you planning to take over the group from Gabriel-sama someday?” he said.

“I wish,” Mitsuki said. “Gabriel-sama isn’t going to let go of this group if his life depends on it. But I became a priest because I wanted to be more active in doing spells and ceremonies. And also, it’s upholding tradition – which is important to me.”

And then, the apprentice priest’s face darkened. “Although . . . sometimes Gabriel-sama upholds tradition a bit TOO literally . . .”

Subaru looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“Never mind,” Mitsuki said. “You may see soon enough.”

His words came true one day when, at the end of his usual practice session, Subaru was playing the water game with Junji . . . when the others joined in, one by one. Mitsuki began tossing fireballs at him, and Subaru transformed them into fireworks, shooting them into the sky and having them explode into bright colors.

“Me next!” Takemasa said. He touched a seedling plant and made it start to grow bigger. Subaru aimed his crystal at it and it became a huge vine, twisting into a huge column in the air.

Mahiro shot a jet of air at him next, and Subaru directed it toward the vine, having it pick up the leaves and foliage and sending them dancing around . . .

And then, Gabriel-sama shouted from behind the group, “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?”

The wind stopped and the vine fell to the ground with a WHOMP. “We’re just helping Subaru practice magic, my Master,” Mitsuki said. “What we’re supposed to be doing.”

“Practicing? That looks like frivolous frittering. You need to have the boy learn real magic! FIGHTING magic!”

“Fighting magic, sir?” Mitsuki said.

“Offensive and defensive spells!” Gabriel-sama said. “Now, I’m going to look in on his instruction tomorrow, and that is what he should be learning!” The high priest stormed back toward the temple.

Junji frowned. “What the hell was . . .”

“That’s typical,” Mahiro grumbled. “That is SO typical.”

But Mitsuki just stood there, frowning. There was something just plain not right about this. Not right at all.

“You wait here,” he said. He rushed toward the temple, determined to speak to his master in private.

He found him going into his study. “Sir?” Mitsuki said. “I have a question.”

“There is no question,” Gabriel-sama said. “You are to make sure the boy learns combat magic and that is final.”

“Why is it so important he learn it right away,” Mitsuki said, “when the rest of us learned it much later in our magical education? Up until now, it’s always been considered lower priority for us, unless there was reason to believe we’d be attacked by black witches. Why have things changed for us now?”

The high priest fixed his acolyte with an icy stare. “Magical study is not one size fits all, boy,” he said. “This one is special.”

“Why is he special, then?” Mitsuki said. “We’ve seen crystal users before. None of them were quite as powerful as him. What is it about him that makes him different?”

“Mitsuki, one of the attributes of a mage is to know when to speak and when to keep silent,” Gabriel-sama said. “This is one of the latter times.”

Meaning, I’m getting no information out of him, Mitsuki thought. This has happened SO many times before, and every time, it’s been frustrating. He knows more about Subaru than he’s letting on, and it’s not fair to Subaru for him to not be told. Hell, it’s not fair to ANY of us.

“I will leave you for now, my Master,” Mitsuki said, bowing. “But please, consider telling us what you know, for everyone’s sake.”

As he left the high priest’s office, he couldn’t help but notice a sheaf of documents with a name on them – The Order of the Hawthorn.

* * *

The next day, as they were gathering at the temple after finishing their day jobs and waiting for Subaru to arrive, Mitsuki was unusually quiet, absorbed in his phone.

“What is it that’s so fascinating there?” Takemasa leaned over his shoulder. “Are you on Facebook or something?”

“Maybe it’s a dating app,” Junji said. “Do they have those for priests?”

“Guys, this is serious,” Mitsuki said. “There’s something going on around here, and, well . . . it’s weird, to say the least.”

“Things are always weird around here,” Junji said. “It’s the nature of the place.”

“No, I mean weird about the organization. About . . . about what Gabriel-sama said to us about Subaru last night.”

“Well, it was kind of out of nowhere,” Takemasa said. “But it isn’t out of character for him. He’s mildly grumpy on his best days.”

“I went to talk to him last night,” Mitsuki said. “He refused to tell me why he said that. He said I needed to know when to speak and when to keep silent. And on his desk, I saw some documents about the Order of the Hawthorn.”

Mahiro, who was passing the group with an incense burner in his hand, stopped and nearly dropped his burden when he heard that name. “Did you say Order of the Hawthorn?” he said.

Mitsuki nodded. “That’s exactly what it said.”

“Weren’t they put out of business years ago?”

“You’d think,” Mitsuki said.

“Hey, there,” said a voice at the door. Subaru walked in, with Hiyori beside him. “Hiyori met me at the door. Okay, whatever you’re supposed to be teaching me, let’s . . .” He looked around at them. “What’s going on? Why do you look so serious?”

“And what’s this about the Order of the Hawthorn?” Hiyori said. “We’re not going back to THAT again, are we?”

Subaru looked confused. “What’s the Order of the Hawthorn?”

“It’s a subdivision of our organization that existed a long time ago,” Mitsuki said. “Mostly in Europe, but there was an Asian branch as well. They were very, very much into Christian teachings, and took the Bible too literally. Mostly when it came to black magic users.”

“The ones you call witches?” Subaru said.

Mitsuki nodded. “Their favorite verse, it seemed, was ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.’ They went about hunting down warlocks and witches and executing them.”

“Witch hunters?” Subaru’s eyes grew wide.

“Exactly,” Mitsuki said. “The organization always operated outside the perimeter of the official temple, but a lot of the high priests looked the other way. That was, until the black magic users declared war on our entire organization.”

“Is that why there’s no more branches of our Order in South Korea?” Junji said. “I always wondered about that.”

“South Korea was the main battlefield,” Mitsuki said. “That’s what I was just researching – what happened during the white vs. black magic war. It was, shall we say, pretty brutal. After that, the hierarchy of our Order decided that the Hawthorns would be completely banned. Except . . .”

“Except?” Subaru looked worried.

“That document,” Mitsuki said. “It didn’t look like a sheaf of old papers. It looked like a fresh computer printout. I’m wondering if . . . they’ve returned. And that’s why Gabriel-sama is so big on having Subaru learn combat magic.”

“You mean, a new magic war?” Subaru looked slightly panicked.

“No,” Mitsuki said. “More like us having to take down this new Order of the Hawthorn before they get out of hand and people end up dead.”

“Oh.” Subaru didn’t look very comforted at that.

Junji put an arm around him. “Relax,” he said. “If it comes to that, you’re not going in there to fight single-handedly. You’ll have all of us with you. And really – what are the odds that this is anything more than paranoia?”

“I’m going to look into that right now,” Hiyori said, getting up from the group. “Excuse me.”

As he left the room, Subaru said, “Where is he going?”

“His quarters,” Junji said. “To look into his scrying glass. That’s a mirror that shows him things. Remember, that’s his main talent – divination and ritual magic. Meantime, why don’t we take you outside and work on some combat skills? If we really have to kick some ass, I want to make sure we at least look good doing it.”

But after the group had been practicing awhile, Hiyori stumbled out to the courtyard, looking worried. All activity stopped abruptly. “Uh-oh,” Junji said. “I don’t like that.”

Mahiro, who was closest to the doorway, ran over to Hiyori, looking concerned. “What is it?” he said. “What did it show you?”

Hiyori warily eyed the others. “It . . . it was confusing . . .”

“Just tell us,” Mitsuki said. “Maybe we could figure it out.”

“There was a tree, covered in white flowers . . .”

Mitsuki frowned. “A hawthorn,” he said.

“And under it, there was an altar. A . . . a black magic altar, it had the pentagram with the goat’s head. And lying on it was a child. Except it was half-monster.”

“A . . . a hybrid creature?” Mitsuki said.

“One side was normal human features,” Hiyori said. “The other had a goat’s horn, claws for a hand and a cloven hoof for a foot.”

“Holy crap,” Junji said.

“It sounds like a depiction of the Antichrist,” Mahiro said.

Mitsuki nodded. “The herald of the Apocalypse,” he said. “My guess is that’s why the Order of the Hawthorn is reforming. They believe that the black magic users are trying to bring about the End Times.”

Subaru suddenly looked alarmed. “Would they really do that?” he said.

“The thing about witches and warlocks,” Mahiro said, “is that they are utterly devoted to their Dark Lord. It’s said that once they become adults, they literally have to sign themselves away to him as his servants in order to keep their powers.”

“So . . . if he asked them to kill everyone, including themselves . . .. they would?” Subaru said.

“I don’t think most of them would,” Mahiro said. “But if OUR organization has a fanatical, violent element within it . . .”

“Theirs might as well,” Mitsuki said. “Maybe Gabriel-sama was right to tell us to be on our guard, just in case.”

“Well, then, we’d better get back to work, right?” Junji said. “Subaru . . . are you okay? You look a little pale.”

“It’s just . . . a lot to deal with all at once, you know,” Subaru said.

“You’ll be fine,” Junji said. He leaned close to his protegee and whispered, “How about we go for ice cream or something after practice tonight?”

“Us?” Subaru blushed a little.

“Of course, us," Junji said.

“Oh, my God, I’d love to,” Subaru said. Is this a date? He thought. A real one? No, he just asked me to go for ice cream, right? But still . . . I’m feeling a bit dizzy . . .

As they continued their magical combat, Hiyori watched in silence. There was one other part of his vision, and he was agonizing whether to tell them about it. He decided to keep silent about it – for now.

It had been an image of Subaru, sporting white wings that seemed to be bound in place with black cords. Like . . . a bound angel.

* * *

Subaru was sitting across from Junji in the Starbucks near their temple – they decided by the time they were done with practice that they needed caffeine more than sugar, and chose Starbucks over ice cream.

“It was one hell of a workout, let me tell you,” Junji said. “I don’t think I’ve used that much power at once in a long time.”

“You were spectacular,” Subaru said. “You really do look like you’ve been doing this all your life.”

“Because I have,” Junji said. “But you’re really impressive for a newbie, you know.”

Subaru shook his head. “It’s all . . . so much,” he said. “A few months ago, all I had to worry about in life was whether I’d be able to learn the ropes enough to take over my mother’s business. And now . . . I may have to use magic to defend us against mad fanatics.”

“I wouldn’t worry so much about that part,” Junji said. “The magical world is paranoid by nature. With good reason, given some of the things that have happened in the past. And hey – knowing magic will enhance your day job, too. Like, you can use your crystal to revive sick plants.”

“What would you do,” Subaru said, “if you didn’t have magic? I mean, do you think it would make your life any different?”

Junji put his Frappuccino cup down and thought for a moment. “I think it would have affected my life, yes,” he said. “I mean, mundanes have to use technology because they don’t have magic, right? So I probably would have ended up going to university and studying something having to do with technology. IT, probably. Because I think something in me would still want to help people.”

“You wouldn’t keep your current day job?” Subaru said, looking amused.

“Look, the boutique is cool, but it’s definitely not where I’d spend my life if I didn’t have a higher calling,” Junji said. Indeed, all the temple members Subaru knew worked in stores that would account for their unusual hair colors and styles – Junji and Mitsuki in forward-fashion clothing boutiques, Mahiro in a secondhand CD shop and Takemasa in an anime/manga specialty store.

“Fair enough,” Subaru said. He took a long drink from his own Frappuccino and just gazed at the man opposite him. Why do I always feel like getting to know him has been one of the best parts of this whole thing? he thought.

“The only good thing about being non-magical,” Junji said, “is I’d have more free time. Part of me would like to do things like karaoke or going out dancing more often, you know? He paused. “I hear the witches and warlocks actually have their own nightclub, just for them. We don’t get anything like that.”

“Maybe you should start one,” Subaru said.

“Maybe I should,” Junji said. “Club Hermetica, just for Hermetics. We could have people who use levitation spells make the bottles pour out their contents and then fire users could create flaming drinks. We could change the lights with color magic.”

“Color magic is a thing?” Subaru said.

“Sure, air users can do it,” Junji said. “I’m sure Mahiro could.”

“I’m willing to be your partner in this nightclub business, by the way,” Subaru said.

“You?” Junji said. “But you have to run your mother’s store.”

“By day,” Subaru said. “This is a night business, remember?”

“I like your sense of adventure,” Junji said. He raised his cup in a toast. “To our future as nightlife moguls!”

“Hear, hear!” Subaru tapped his cup against Junji’s.

He had forgotten about witch wars and battle magic. Being with Junji had that effect on him.

* * *

Later, Junji offered to walk Subaru home to his family’s apartment.

“I need to take a shower soon as I get home,” Subaru said. “After that workout today . . .”

“We have a shower room in the back of the temple, you know,” Junji said. “You’re welcome to use it. I can’t believe nobody told you about it.”

Subaru shook his head. “Nobody did. But that’s okay.” He paused. “I’m glad we got to go out this evening.”

“Me, too. I’d like to see you more outside the temple. Life isn’t all magic practice.”

“Really?” Subaru said, brightly. “You mean it?”

“Of course, I do. I’m glad I met you, you know that?”

Subaru felt a glowing warmth inside him. “I’m glad I met you, too,” he said. More glad than you can imagine, he thought.

They stopped in front of his building. “This is it,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

And then, before he knew what was happening, Junji’s arms were wrapping around him and pulling him in, and their mouths were coming together in a soft, gentle kiss. They pulled away after a moment, just looking at each other . . .

Then, they leaned in and kissed again, longer and hotter this time, and when Subaru felt Junji’s tongue brush the inside of his lip, he felt a shudder of heat through his whole body, from head to toes.

Junji leaned back and said, “You’d better believe it.”

Subaru turned and went into the building, feeling like he could just float up to their apartment.

When he walked in, their mother was in her bedroom watching TV, like she was every evening. She probably hasn’t even noticed I haven’t been here in the evenings, Subaru thought.

Someone else had noticed, however. His brother was waiting for him on the couch. “Subaru?”

Subaru jumped at the sound and wheeled around. “Oh, hi . . .”

“Subaru, I don’t want to pry, but . . . where have you been going every night?”

“Just been hanging out with friends,” Subaru said, trying to sound casual.

“You look . . . tired whenever you come home. And you go straight to bed. Is everything all right?”

Of course it is, Subaru thought. More all right than you know. But I can’t tell you. I don’t think I’m allowed to tell you.

“Yes, it is.”

“I kind of miss having you around in the evenings,” Kouki said, wistfully. “But . . . if you’re okay . . .”

“Nothing to worry about, really,” Subaru said. “Believe me, if something was wrong, you’d be the first to know.”

He went into the bathing room, intent on getting that shower. Well, that was strange, he thought. I just hope he doesn’t think I’m into something illegal . . .

Meanwhile, Kouki sat on the couch, deep in thought, after his brother left. Something’s up, he thought. Something . . . not quite right.

He quietly made a decision. One of these nights, he was going to follow his brother when he left the flower shop and see where he went. And if something bad was going on . . . he was going to make sure he put a stop to it.

* * *

One week later, Gabriel-sama insisted on overseeing Subaru’s entire training session.

“I want to see that he’s well-rounded in all aspects of combat magic,” he said. “If he is, we’ll schedule his formal initiation.”

“What about other forms of magic?” Mitsuki asked him. “Isn’t the magic we use to help people more important for formal initiation?”

“Well, yes, it is. I’ll make sure of that, too.”

This is strange, Mitsuki thought. It’s as if his priorities have shifted completely. Is the threat from a new Order of the Hawthorn really that severe? But if it is, why the emphasis on combat just with Subaru?

He wasn’t kidding when it came to the combat part. “Mitsuki, attack the boy with fire magic,” the high priest said. “Hold nothing back.”

“But . . .”

“But, nothing! He’s going to prove himself worthy!”

“It’s okay,” Subaru said. “I know how to handle it.”

He pulled out the crystal and held it in the air, then pulled his hands away so it levitated in front of him – a skill he’d mastered recently. The fireballs came racing toward him, ready to strike and kill . . .

Subaru pushed his magic through the crystal and formed it into a shield. The fireballs exploded against it, harmlessly. He then focused the magic into an energy blast that would send his attacker flying – though he pulled back on the intensity, so as not to hit Mitsuki TOO hard.

When the fire-user flew across the yard, landing at the high priest’s feet, Gabriel-sama applauded. “Well-done, my boy!”

“Sorry, Mitsuki,” Subaru said.

“Nothing broken,” Mitsuki said as he struggled back to his feet. But, he thought, I’d probably be a dead man if we hadn’t taught Subaru how to control his powers.

“Okay,” the priest said. “Now, let’s attack him three people at once!”

This was a bit harder for Subaru – he had to widen the angle of his shield to deflect fire, vines and wind coming at him from all directions, and as soon as he dealt with those, a water attack sprung up from the other side. He quickly shifted the crystal to the other side of his body and made the shield spring up just in time.

I’m working up a sweat, he thought, as he created a whip of magical energy that could lash out in several directions at once. He succeeded in knocking all his attackers over.

“Do we get combat pay for this?” Junji said from the ground.

“None of your silly jokes, boy!” Gabriel-sama said. “This is DEAD serious!”

They continued with the combat magic for awhile . . . until Mitsuki reminded Gabriel-sama that they were supposed to be testing Subaru on other forms of magic as well. And I shouldn’t have to do that, Mitsuki thought. I certainly didn’t have to when any of US were initiated.

Subaru proved himself adept at basic healing magic, crop-boosting spells, and spells to boost a person’s aura to increase their luck – in academics, business or love. Okay, he thought, NOW am I done?

He wasn’t. “I want to see one more round of fighting magic,” Gabriel-sama said.

“Hasn’t he done enough?” Mitsuki said. “Look at how much he’s sweating!”

“There’s a shower he could use in the temple,” Gabriel-sama said. “Now, come at him from several directions again!”

This is too much magic at once, Subaru thought. I’ve never done this before. I . . .

He shielded himself from the flying spells, sent the magical whip out again . . . but felt his control of his magic slipping. It was flowing out of him, but he was having difficulty pulling it back to keep it under control . . .

And when he had knocked down Mahiro, Mistuki and Takemasa he lost his grip for one brief, horrible moment. The magic whip headed for Junji like a freight train, sending him flying clear across the yard and slamming into the wall. He landed on the ground with a THUD.

“JUNJI!” Subaru ran toward him, feeling panic rising. “JUNJI!”

“Excellent,” Gabriel-sama said. “You passed, my boy!”

“Never mind that!” Subaru shouted. “Junji’s hurt!” He kneeled next to his lover, taking his hand and looking at him . . .

Oh, God, he thought. I knocked him out. Oh, God . . .

The others clustered around him, including Hiyori, who had been watching from the sidelines. “What happened?” Mitsuki said.

“Should we call an ambulance?” Takemasa said.

“This place isn’t even visible to mundanes, remember?” Mahiro said. “How are paramedics going to get here?”

I have to do something, Subaru thought. I have to undo what I did . . .

He levitated the crystal in front of him, reached inside himself . . . and found a magic that hadn’t been there before. It was warm and glowing. If it were visible, it would be pink in color.

Summoning a strength he didn’t know he had, he pushed this new magic through the crystal toward Junji. It enveloped him in a soft glow, which gradually grew brighter. Behind him, Hiyori gave a small gasp – which he didn’t hear, because he was completely focused on the task at hand.

He could FEEL Junji’s injuries healing, the other man’s strength and stamina returning. And he slowly began releasing the spell, little by little, the glow fading.

Junji sat up, slowly, rubbing the back of his head. “Whoa,” he said. “What was . . .”

Subaru just threw his arms around the other man. “Thank God!” he said. “You’re okay . . .”

Junji hugged him back. “Damn,” he said. “That was some powerful magic you showed there. I feel good as new. Maybe even better.”

“I couldn’t lose you,” Subaru said. “I couldn’t . . .”

“You haven’t,” Junji said. He lowered his voice to a whisper and said, “It’s gonna take a lot more than that to get rid of me.”

Mitsuki quickly drew Gabriel-sama away. “That magic . . .”

“He’s more powerful than even I thought,” Gabriel-sama said.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, only that he’s definitely earned initiation. His day off from the flower shop is Sunday, is it not?”

Mitsuki nodded. “His mother runs the shop by herself on Sunday, he runs it by himself on Monday.”

“It will be Sunday at high noon, then.”

Because the group had the sun goddess as their patron deity, their highest rituals were done when the sun was at its peak, rather than by moonlight like black magical groups. Mitsuki nodded. “All right. Sunday . . .”

“And you will be conducting the ceremony.”

Mitsuki blinked. “Me?”

“Yes, you. It’s about time you led a major ritual.”

“But, Master, I’m still a junior priest . . .”

“And this is how you gain experience, isn’t it?”

This is getting stranger, Mitsuki thought. Combined with the whole Order of the Hawthorn thing . . . something is definitely up. And it may have to do with that magic Subaru just unleashed – the kind of healing magic none of us have ever seen before.

Meanwhile, Hiyori was walking behind the others in silence, wondering if he should share with the others what he just saw . . .

When the healing magic was at its peak, Hiyori could have sworn he saw spectral versions of the white wings from his vision on Subaru’s back.

* * *

Subaru found the shower room as soon as the ritual was over. They gave him a clean yukata to wear home, which he was grateful for.

They made me earn my initiation, he thought, turning the water on full blast. They worked me to the bone.

But the last part of his test just kept replaying itself in his head – losing control of his magic and slamming Junji against the wall, and then finding a strong healing power he didn’t even know he possessed.

Where did that come from? he thought. Junji said that stressful situations are how people usually discover magic. There’s nothing more stressful than the idea of losing him.

When the healing was going on, he felt a synchronization with the crystal that was so strong, it was as if his magical object was a piece of his body. No, a piece of his _soul._ It was as if something . . . divine were happening. Something sacred.

Well, of course, a voice in the back of his head whispered. Nothing is more sacred than love, right?

Is that what I’m feeling? he thought. Am I falling in love with him?

And then, the shower room door opened. Subaru froze – the shower was open, there was no curtain or glass shielding the view of him from whoever it was . . .

Junji stepped into the room and locked the door behind him. “I figured you’d still be in here,” he said.

Their gazes locked for a long moment of silent communication. The air seemed heavy between them . . .

And then, Junji reached down and started unfastening the kimono he was wearing. His eyes probed Subaru’s for any sign of non-consent. Subaru just nodded his head in the affirmative.

They both wanted this, needed this. It was just that Junji’s brush with disaster had brought that need into full focus.

When Junji was fully naked, he stepped under the water, drew Subaru into his arms and kissed him hard, passionately.

Subaru let out a small moan, pressing his body against the other man’s as his tongue pushed against Junji’s. He’d wanted this from the day he laid eyes on his magical mentor, hadn’t he? And now that he had it . . . he couldn’t get enough.

He found himself being pushed hard against the shower wall, Junji’s hands trapping him in on either side as their mouths devoured each other – not that either one was exactly going anywhere. The water pouring over their bodies threatened to dissolve into steam.

“So damn hot,” Junji gasped as he kissed his way down Subaru’s neck. “So hot and beautiful . . .”

Subaru could only gasp, his back plastered against the wall, his chest heaving with panting breaths as Junji kissed his way down it. When his mouth wrapped around a nipple, the crystal-user could only let out a long, low growl that was almost animal.

“Fuck, you’re hot,” Junji murmured before licking back and forth over the nipple, then sucking it again. Subaru panted, grabbing onto the other man’s hair, his body writhing against the wall . . .

Oh, God, oh, God, I’ve fooled around with boyfriends before, but it’s been nothing like this, he thought.

He felt his new lover’s tongue tracing a wet line down his stomach, and his heart pounded, he knew what was coming, there was a nervous anticipation throughout his whole body like the moment when the roller coaster rounds the very top of the hill and is about to drop . . .

And then, wet heat enveloped his most sensitive flesh, and Junji started sucking right away, moving his head up and down rapidly. No teasing and kissing – just devouring him, as if the other man had a near-physical need to suck that cock.

“OH!” Subaru cried, nearly falling over. “Suck me, yes, don’t stop . . .”

Junji wasn’t stopping, all right. Oh, no, his mouth wrapped tighter around Subaru as he moved faster, going deeper, so deep Subaru thought he was going to be swallowed whole.

“More,” he cried, feeling Junji’s hands reaching for his ass, gripping and squeezing it as his mouth continued its work, and the water from the shower continued pouring over them, sliding over the skin, adding a sensual feeling that was just driving Subaru’s passion higher and higher . . .

And then, Junji slid down hard and fast, and Subaru felt a jolt of ecstasy through his whole body, which seemed to explode in a million tiny colors, like a prism inside his soul. He thrust his hips forward as he screamed in pleasure, emptying himself into Junji’s mouth.

When Junji stood up to kiss him, Subaru sagged against him, his tongue dipping into his lover’s mouth to taste himself. It was the kind of orgasm the crystal-user didn’t think was possible outside of pornos.

“Good?” Junji said.

“Ohh . . . ohhh . . .” Subaru still couldn’t form words.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Junji said.

I have to give the pleasure back, Subaru thought. I have to make him feel as good as he made me feel. He kissed his lover hard, his fingers reaching for his nipples, rubbing and squeezing them.

“Ooh, yes,” Junji moaned. “Keep going . . .”

Subaru slid down the other man’s torso, licking his way downward the way Junji had done to him, and when he found a nipple, he sucked it firmly, feeling the other man shudder in response.

“I’ve wanted this for so long,” Subaru murmured. He wrapped his lips around the other nipple, tonguing it, then sucking it, hearing Junji’s low and throaty groan in response. God, how could he taste and feel so very good, as if he was made just for Subaru . . .

Quickly, he licked down his lover’s stomach, and when he reached the erection, he tongued the head of it, sweeping it around and around the tip, thinking, it feels different from mine, broader here, longer there . . .

There was a special kind of thrill in experiencing something that was at once so much like your own body, and so different.

He slid down on it, enveloping it with his mouth, and began sucking, and it was so sensual and hot and a bit overwhelming in a nice way, it was on the verge of being too big for him, but that was part of the thrill and the challenge.

“Yes, let me fuck that pretty mouth of yours,” Junji moaned, and the dirty words made Subaru move faster, slide down harder, taking as much of his lover in as he could, his fingers sliding up the other man’s body to brush and tease his nipples, then rub them in time to his sucking.

He heard his lover’s breathing get harder, felt his movements get faster and more erratic, and he thought, yes, come for me, I want to feel and hear and taste it . . He squeezed his nipples, hoping to get the desired response . . .

It worked. Junji let out a loud cry, releasing himself into Subaru’s mouth, and Subaru pulled back so some of it landed on his face. It felt even more intimate than the blow job itself.

“Oh, God.” Junji was leaning against the wall, panting. “Oh . . . oh . . .”

Subaru stood up and kissed him. “Good?”

“Phenomenal,” Junji said. “Who would think that such a sweet-looking, sweet-acting cutie could suck cock like a sex demon?”

Subaru found himself blushing. “I was that good?”

“No. You were better.” He wrapped his arms around Subaru and held him close. “If it took a near-death experience for this to happen between us, I’m glad I risked my life.”

“Junji, does this . . . change anything between us?” Subaru said.

“Only that we can do this whenever we want to. Once we get past your formal initiation, we’re having a celebration at my place. Wine, candles, and anything you fantasize about.”

“Anything?” Subaru said.

“What, is it something extra-wild? Like, involving whips and handcuffs?”

“No, no, nothing like that!” Subaru said, quickly. “I just fantasize about . . . being rimmed. Having a guy use his tongue in my . . .”

“Then I’ll stock up on dental dams and make you forget your own name,” Junji said. He held the other man closer. “I’m so glad you’re in my life, Subaru.”

“I’m glad you’re in mine, too.”

It wasn’t a formal declaration of love. They weren’t quite at that stage of their relationship yet. But for the moment, it said plenty.

* * *

On the day of his initiation, Subaru awoke early. He was told he should be physically and mentally prepared. Don’t eat breakfast, he was told. Take a bath. Spend time meditating on what was going to happen.

He reached under his pillow for the crystal and pulled it out, looking at it. Amazing, he thought, that when my grandmother first put it in my hand, I was both repelled by and attracted to it. Now, I can’t imagine it not being a part of my life. No, a part of ME.

Because of it, he’d found his purpose in life, a community of people like him, even love. He was going to use this crystal to make other people happy – to literally be their good fairy.

So why, he thought, did they train me so hard in combat? Why teach me to be a fighter, when I’m supposed to be a helper?

He wasn’t going to question that too much. The important thing was that today, he would no longer be a student of the Hermetic Order – he was going to officially become one of them.

Kouki, meanwhile, was noticing his brother’s strange behavior today. Subaru didn’t eat breakfast? He’d never skipped a meal – not even when he was running off to school. He was taking longer than usual in the bath – and, wait a minute, since when did he take a full BATH in the MORNING? Soaking in tubs was for the evening.

Subaru rushed by him, on the way to the door. “I’m going out!” he said. “I’ll probably be out the rest of the day.”

“Subaru,” Kouki said, “what’s REALLY going on? This is beyond just getting together with friends. You’re not . . . not mixed up in any Yakuza stuff, are you?”

“Of course not,” Subaru said. “It’s perfectly harmless . . . really.” He gave his brother a wave. “I’ll see you later!”

And it’s not like him to be this secretive, either, Kouki thought. He used to tell me everything. Literally everything.

He paused – and then he went out the door, locking it behind him. Today was the day he was going to follow his brother. He was going to get to the bottom of this, once and for all.

* * *

Kouki got to the ground floor when his brother was halfway down the street. He followed him, at a distance. He’s going in the direction of most of the shop’s suppliers, he thought. But why would he be going there on his day off?

The younger man took a turn, then another turn, and Kouki didn’t like where they were going. This was a decidedly unsavory area – half the buildings in this block were abandoned, many of them crumbling. Just the place for criminals to hang out.

Subaru stopped before one abandoned building, paused, walked toward it . . . and then seemed to vanish. What? Kouki thought. What the hell? Did he go through some sort of trap door, or hidden entrance, or . . .

“What are YOU doing here?” said a voice behind him. Kouki turned, expecting to see a hulking, tattooed man holding some sort of weapon . . .

Instead, he saw an older man, with close-cropped steel-gray hair and a wind-weathered face, wearing a formal kimono that looked like it was used in . . . religious ceremonies?

“My brother is here,” Kouki said. “At least, I THINK he’s here.”

“Can you see what’s in front of you?” the man said.

What kind of a question is that? Kouki thought. “Of course I see it. It’s an abandoned building. And my brother went through some sort of trap door to get into it. Something is going on in there, and I want to find out what it is!”

“How fortunate that you came here,” the man said. “You are EXACTLY the kind of leverage I need.”

“Leverage?” Kouki said. “What are you TALKING about?”

But the man just put a hand on Kouki’s head and spoke some words in an arcane tongue that definitely wasn’t Japanese – not even an old form of it. Kouki felt a jolt through his body – and then faded away, into unconsciousness.

* * *

Subaru waited inside the temple, pacing back and forth, levitating his crystal in front of him. He was dressed in a formal kimono of white and gold, which he had been given upon his arrival.

I’m so glad I found these people, he thought. What would my life be if that tree branch hadn’t come crashing down on me? I would have never awakened the power of the crystal. I would never be part of a group, I’d always feel out of sorts with the rest of the world.

Now, he thought, I’m going to stay here – even if others approve. Even if I’m laughed at. This is who I am. I know who I am, and my full destiny, at last.

But a niggling voice in the back of his head kept saying, “Do you REALLY know everything? Do you know your FULL destiny?” He remembered the combat training, and the crystal activating with healing magic . . .

The temple door opened, and Hiyori was standing there, in a formal kimono of pink and gold and holding an ornate sword in his hand. Subaru had already been briefed that Hiyori would be fetching him for the ceremony – and would go into the formal ritual right away.

Hiyori bowed low to him. “Brother of the outer worlds, I bid you welcome,” he said. “To enter this temple, you must have no fear of what happens within. For I say to you, it is better to rush on this blade” – he raised the sword and pointed it at Subaru – “than to do so with fear in your heart.”

Subaru answered as he’d been instructed to do – “I have no fear.”

Hiyori lowered the blade. “Then I bid you welcome to this temple,” he said, bowing again.

Subaru bowed back and took Hiyori’s hand. He was led out into the familiar yard, which now sported a golden altar bearing tall candles and the symbols of the four elements – a bowl of earth, a censer of incense, a shorter candle and a golden goblet. At the center of the elemental symbols was a round golden disc, inscribed with an upright pentagram, inside of which was the name of Amaterasu written in old, formal kanji.

Subaru saw his friends, and other temple members he had met only briefly, standing in a circle around the altar. Behind it was . . . Mitsuki? Subaru fully expected to see Gabriel-sama conducting the ceremony. He looked around – where was the older man?

“Who comes here,” Mitsuki said, “to enter our temple?”

“My name is Hanamizakura Subaru.”

“What is your purpose?”

Subaru hadn’t been prompted as to what to say there, so he spoke from the heart. “To learn to use my magic to the fullest and use my abilities to create a better world.”

“Do you pledge to fulfill the obligations of this Order, and to follow the path of Amaterasu wherever she may lead you?”

“I do.”

“Do you pledge to not use your magic to do harm, except in cases of defense of self or others?”

“I do.”

“Do you pledge to support the other members of this temple in all endeavors, and to come to their aid whenever needed?”

“I do.” This is beginning to feel like a wedding ceremony, not an initiation, Subaru thought.

“Then let our candidate be blessed with the four elements that make up the universe and all magics.”

Subaru’s hand tightened on the crystal. Are they going to come at me with fireballs and geysers of water again? he thought.

But all that happened was that Hiyori put his sword on the altar, picked up the incense burner and waved it around Subaru’s head, saying, “May the blessings of the element of air be upon you.” He then put that down, picked up the chalice, and sprinkled a few drops of liquid from it on Subaru’s head, saying “May the blessings of the element of water be upon you.”

This was followed by sprinkling a little earth on him, then finally waving the candle flame around him (during which Subaru feared for both his hair and his costume). When all was done, Hiyori put the candle down, bowed to Mitsuki, and said, “The candidate has been duly blessed.”

“Then let him sign our charter, and as such, become one of us.”

Hiyori took Subaru’s hand and led him over to a lectern behind the altar, which bore a formal scroll, signed with the names of all the temple members. This is it, Subaru thought. This is when I leave my old life behind for good and become what I was always meant to be. He picked up the pen, and . . .

“Halt.”

Gabriel-sama’s voice cut through the group. The circle parted to allow him in. Mitsuki looked confused. “Halt, Master?”

“That is not the only document he has to sign.” Gabriel-sama held out an ancient book. “You must sign this charter as well, my boy.”

Subaru frowned. “What is it?”

“My Master, none of us had to sign a second charter,” Mitsuki said. “What are you having Subaru sign?”

“None of your concern!” Gabriel-sama said.

“But if Subaru is going to sign it . . .”

“I said, boy, it is none of your . . .” In Gabriel-sama’s agitation, he dropped the book, and the bright rays of Amaterasu shone on the cover, illuminating the golden engraving . . .

“The Order of the Hawthorn?” Subaru read aloud. “You want me to join THE ORDER OF THE HAWTHORN?”

Gabriel-sama picked up the book, quickly. “Yes,” he said. “THAT is your destiny, Subaru.”

“I’m not joining an organization of witch-hunters!” Subaru said. “I only agreed to join our temple!”

“You were BORN to be a member of the Order of the Hawthorn,” Gabriel-sama said. “You are NECESSARY to protect our kind from the fanatical hordes of the Dark Lord!”

“Forgive me for intruding, Master,” Mitsuki said, bowing – although he thought, you’re intruding on MY ceremony, after putting me in charge of it – “but Templi Malum minds their own business. They haven’t staged any attacks on us.”

“They haven’t staged any attacks YET,” Gabriel-sama said. “They are planning something. They already have their Dark Messiah – someone specifically bred to attack the Light, to destroy us.”

Now Mitsuki was looking completely baffled. “What Dark Messiah, sir?”

“A Child of Two Worlds! The rarest and most powerful kind of warlock there is! They are created from the breeding of a witch or warlock and a human, and they are as terrible as they are powerful. The last time they had a Child of Two Worlds was when they declared war on us.”

Subaru looked around. His friends were looking completely thunderstruck. Mahiro’s mouth was hanging open. Hiyori’s eyes were so wide-open they looked like they were going to fall out of his head. Takemasa . . . well, it was hard to read Takemasa’s expression with his usual bandana over his face, but he certainly seemed concerned.

And then, there was Junji, whose face reflected flat-out fear for Subaru.

“But . . . but we were told that a Child of Two Worlds was just a myth of the past . . .” Mitsuki said.

“It is no myth. It is real, and it is here. And there is only one thing that can stand against a Child of Two Worlds.” He paused. “A Nephilim.”

“A . . . what?” Subaru said.

“A magically empowered human with angelic blood,” Gabriel-sama said. “There has been one prophecied to be coming for years. He is said to bear the name of Sakura Festival, and carry the Starry Heavens in his hand.”

Subaru swallowed hard. “ME?” he said. His family name meant “sakura festival,” and his crystal was called Starry Heaven . . .

It can’t be! he thought. I’m . . . I’m an ANGEL?

“I saw it,” Hiyori said, softly, looking down at the altar.

All heads turned toward him. “What did you say?” Gabriel-sama said.

“Forgive me, everyone. When I told you about my scrying, I left out the last part of my vision. I . . . I saw Subaru with white wings. In my vision, they were bound . . .”

“Because he hadn’t come into his full power yet,” Gabriel-sama said. “When he performed the healing spell on Junji, he did.”

“And . . . and I think I saw the wings on him when he performed that spell,” Hiryori said. “Plus, the half-demon half-human I saw in my vision . . . I think now that was the Child of Two Worlds.”

“So, we haven’t been training Subaru to fight AGAINST the Order of the Hawthorn?” Mitsuki said. “We’ve been training him to fight WITH them? And YOU have been part of them all along?”

“We do what we must to protect our own, my boy,” Gabriel-sama said. “That is our mission. Light combats darkness. Good must drive out evil.”

“I don’t want to KILL harmless people,” Subaru said. “I don’t want to end the lives of black witches just because they MIGHT attack us!”

“You won’t have to kill anyone unless there is a war,” Gabriel-sama said. “But we HAVE to have your signature on that ledger, Subaru. You are our Nephilim. We NEED you.”

“I’ll pledge my help IF a war comes,” Subaru said. “But I will ONLY sign the charter of the Order!”

“I knew you’d think that way,” Gabriel-sama sighed. “And that’s why I have insurance.”

Subaru suddenly looked fearful. “Insurance?”

Gabriel-sama moved to what looked like another altar, with some sort of cloth over it. He pulled it away – and revealed Subaru’s unconscious brother, strapped to the altar, a dagger hovering over his throat.

“KOUKI!” Subaru shouted. “NO!”

“Sign that ledger,” Gabriel-sama said, “or your brother dies.”

“Master, what IS this?” Mitsuki said. “This . . . this is against our oath! You heard Subaru yourself, a few minutes ago, pledging to not use his magic to do harm!”

“And the second part of that statement is that it’s negated in cases of defense. What we have here is defense of our kind. Possibly defense of the whole human race. They are devoted slaves of their Dark Lord, who hates both us and non-magical humans. Who’s to say what he might have their Child of Two Worlds do?”

Subaru felt tears pricking his eyes. This isn’t what I signed up for, he thought. I wasn’t supposed to be the last defense of humanity against the Apocalypse! I was just going to use my magic, my crystal to help people!

But he also knew that he couldn’t just let his brother die. And he couldn’t just let innocent non-magical humans die, either.

“If I sign that ledger . . .” he said. Oh, God, what am I doing, he thought, I’m gambling with my brother’s life! But . . . if I’m really what Gabriel-sama says I am, he’ll do what I say, right?

“Yes?” Gabriel-sama said.

“Then you must agree that I am to harm nobody unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. I’m not going to kill anyone just because they’re a witch or warlock until they declare war on us.”

“Agreed,” Gabriel-sama said.

“And I am still primarily going to do the work of the Order, which is using magic for people’s benefit.”

“All right,” Gabriel-sama said. “Now SIGN!”

Subaru grasped the pen. He put his name on the Order’s charter, like he’d planned. I thought this would be such a positive, liberating moment, he thought. Now, it’s . . . bittersweet.

He moved his pen to the other ledger. This is just to protect everyone from harm, he thought. Including my brother. He signed quickly, before he could change his mind, then slammed the pen down and fixed Gabriel-sama with a glare.

“It’s done,” he said. And he brought out his crystal, which was clutched in his hand throughout the ceremony, making it hover in front of him . . .

A surge of power even stronger than the one he’d felt when he saved Junji coursed through him. It was as if signing had increased his powers sevenfold. He shot a beam of energy toward the dagger, knocking it away, and other, smaller beams toward his brother’s bonds, cutting them.

“Swear to me that he wasn’t harmed!” he said to Gabriel-sama.

“I swear it.”

Mitsuki just wanted to get the ceremony back under control. He walked over to Subaru and said, “Kneel for the final blessing of the goddess.”

Subaru complied, and he barely heard Mitsuki chanting over him. He stayed in his position as the other man banished the presence of the Elemental Spirits and the magic circle.

Please be okay, Kouki, he thought, please be okay, please be okay . . .

As soon as it was over, he ran over to his brother. “Kouki!” he said. “Kouki . . .”

His brother stirred, his eyes opening. “Subaru?” he said. “What’s . . . what’s going on? I was going in and out, and I heard some kind of . . . was that some Freemasonry thing?”

“It’s a magical organization,” Subaru said. “I’m . . . I’m a white magician, Kouki. I always have been. I didn’t know it until recently. That’s where I’ve been coming – to our temple.”

“Your temple is in a crappy abandoned building?” Kouki said.

“No, no, only certain people can see it as it is,” Subaru said. “Are you all right? Please tell me you’re all right!”

“My head’s a bit foggy,” Kouki said, sitting up slowly, “but . . .” He blinked and looked around. “Whoa! This place is beautiful!”

“You can see it now?” Subaru said, hope in his voice.

“Well, yeah. It’s some kind of . . . shrine, right?”

“He can see it because he’s under an enchantment,” Mitsuki said, approaching the two of them. “Once it fully fades, he’ll go back to seeing it as mundanes usually do.”

“Can I have him see it this way permanently?” Subaru said.

“I won’t give away any of your secrets,” Kouki said. “I swear. You . . . you guys really do magic? Like . . . Harry Potter?”

“Something like that,” Mitsuki said. “I’m Sakai Mitsuki. I’m a junior priest here.”

“Hanamizakura Kouki, Subaru’s half-brother.”

“Nice to meet you, Kouki, I just wish it had been under better circumstances. And these are . . .”

Their other friends had gathered around them. Kouki caught sight of Mahiro and jumped off the altar. “Well, hello, there. Are you one of the magic men, too?”

“I’m one of Subaru’s friends,” Mahiro said, cautiously. “I’m Kurosaki Mahiro. This is Isshi Hiryori, Kujo Takemasa, and . . .”

“If I may be permitted to introduce myself,” Junji said, “I’m Tokai Junji.” He paused. “Subaru’s boyfriend.”

Subaru’s whole face suddenly lit up. “B-b-boyfriend?” he said in a joyful squeak.

“Of course, I am,” Junji said. “If you want me to be, that is.”

“I’d like nothing else in the world!” Subaru suddenly threw his arms around Junji and held him close.

“Well, look at that!” Kouki clapped both of them on the back. “I knew you’d find someone, Subaru! ‘Course, I didn’t think you’d find that person at some sort of Hogwarts, but hey!”

“It isn’t Hogwarts,” Mahiro grumbled. “This isn’t Harry Potter.”

“So, what about you, cutie?” Kouki said. “Do you go out for drinks with non-magical guys?”

“Is this an invitation?” Mahiro said.

“Well, of course it is,” Kouki said. “If you want it to be.”

Mahiro sighed. “Fine. But only because you’re Subaru’s brother, and because I want to set the record straight about who we are and what we do. We normally don’t tell mundanes, but since Gabriel-sama dragged you into our business . . .”

“Is that the old guy?”

Subaru nodded. “He’s our high priest,” he said.

“He has a funny way of going about making sure things are done, doesn’t he?”

Mitsuki shook his head. “Funny isn’t the word.” He was still processing this. His high priest was a member of the Order of the Hawthorn? He was willing to risk the life of an innocent mortal? Subaru was a Nephilim? It was as if everything he knew had turned upside down and inside out.

When this was over, he was going to need some quiet time to think about it all. Including his own future within the organization.

As Kouki walked away with Mahiro, talking to him the whole time, Junji wrapped an arm around Subaru, who pulled close to him. “Junji . . . I . . . I don’t know about Gabriel-sama anymore. The fact that he went as far as to kidnap and threaten my brother . . .”

“I know,” Junji said. “We’re going to have a talk about it later – all of us. It could be that he’s just being paranoid – my parents said there’s been rumors of witch wars before, and they’re usually died down pretty quickly.”

“I don’t want to leave this organization. I can’t. It’s the only place where I’ve felt at home. But . . . but I don’t want to have to fight a Child of Two Worlds, either . . .”

“If it happens,” Junji said, “and that’s a big IF, you’re not going to have to do it alone. We’ll all be with you.” He looked around, made sure nobody was listening, and then bent over and whispered, “And if he gets too out of hand? Remember, Mitsuki is a fully ordained temple priest. We can bolt the organization and form our own temple of the Hermetic Order.”

“Really?”

“Really. We won’t let any harm come to you . . . and we won’t let your powers be used for anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Subaru hugged him. “I’m so lucky to have you,” he said. “All of you.”

“All of us?”

“Especially you.”

“I’m lucky to have you, too.”

He pulled Subaru close and kissed him, and Subaru kissed back, feeling the crystal in his hand react, sending a warm glow through his body.

There’s a lot to unpack about today, he thought. Not the least of which is Gabriel-sama threatening my brother. Why couldn’t he have just told me that I was a Nephilim without doing THAT? Why did he had to go that far?

He was definitely wary of the high priest now. But at least he knew that he had friends he could rely on – and a boyfriend. He’d figure out the big issues later. Now, at least, the small ones were resolved.

* * *

Fortunately, there was no more mention of the Order of the Hawthorn or witch-hunting in the weeks after Subaru’s initiation. Things continued as normal, except now Subaru was able to go on full missions to help people – which he did gladly.

Gabriel-sama even pulled Subaru aside to bow deep to the ground and apologize profoundly for kidnapping his brother. “But someday, my boy, you will see why it was necessary.”

“I hope that day never comes, Master,” Subaru said.

He still didn’t regain his trust in the older man. As Junji had promised, their group of friends met in secret to discuss the shocking events of Subaru’s initiation, and to pledge that if Gabriel-sama ever did anything like that again, or tried to get them to do something against the values of their organization, they would leave and start their own temple.

“I can do it,” Mitsuki said. “What happened with your initiation – it’s given me confidence. I’m going to step out of his shadow – and maybe he’ll be in MY shadow someday.”

Kouki was a lot more at peace since he knew the truth about Subaru – especially since he’d been seeing Mahiro on a regular basis. “He claims he’s just meeting with him to educate him,” Junji said. “But I caught them making out in the temple the other day. That’s a lot of education.”

“Gabriel-sama isn’t going to be happy if he knows Kouki was in the temple,” Subaru said. “Heck, he’s not going to be happy if he knows we enchanted Kouki so he can permanently see the temple now.”

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Junji said.

Of course, Subaru found himself wondering why he was born a Nephilim and Kouki was a mundane. That means the angelic blood came through my father’s side of the family, he thought – but then why did our mother’s mother give me the crystal?

It was a question he knew he was only going to get the answer to much later. But for now . . . he was concentrating on what was important. His magic, his new life . . . and Junji.

His crystal had brought him somebody he could connect with on every level, someone who had awakened his deepest magic. And that was worth more than anything.


End file.
